Budget rebuild items?

[Charlie207]

Piston ring party.


Then I sent them all home.

 

[Charlie207]

After installing the new cam, and getting the old cam sprocket off (new tool, yay!) I realized that I hadn't ever checked the condition of the original cam retainer plate seal. Of course it was completely squashed, so progress was halted while I ordered another one. $19 for a GM plate online or $44 for an aftermarket version in person at AutoZone/O'Reily's. What a PITA.

Also had to order a new power steering pump/resevoir for my Yukon, as it's leaking through the rusty hardline. The plan was to buy a new one for the 6.0, but I'll just swap the new part from the 5.3 (and the alternator & bracket) onto the 6.0.

 

[strutaeng]

After installing the new cam, and getting the old cam sprocket off (new tool, yay!) I realized that I hadn't ever checked the condition of the original cam retainer plate seal. Of course it was completely squashed, so progress was halted while I ordered another one. $19 for a GM plate online or $44 for an aftermarket version in person at AutoZone/O'Reily's. What a PITA.

Also had to order a new power steering pump/resevoir for my Yukon, as it's leaking through the rusty hardline. The plan was to buy a new one for the 6.0, but I'll just swap the new part from the 5.3 (and the alternator & bracket) onto the 6.0.

It's coming along! Great job!

 

[Charlie207]

Bolted up the cam retainer, timing gear, timing chain, oil pump, windage tray, and pickup tube.

And, remembered to slide the new oil barbell where the sun don't shine.

Just needed a little lube and a couple tries.

 

[j91z28d1]

if you have time, I've heard even millings thinks adding the 2nd bolt to the pick up tube is worth while. the interview I was listening to thou it might help with all the o ring failures when they get old.

 

[Charlie207]

if you have time, I've heard even millings thinks adding the 2nd bolt to the pick up tube is worth while. the interview I was listening to thou it might help with all the o ring failures when they get old.

I actually bought one of those "Y"-shaped clamps to thread into the unused hole on the oil pump.

 

[j91z28d1]

I actually bought one of those "Y"-shaped clamps to thread into the unused hole on the oil pump.

oh nice.. yeah. seems worth it.

 

[Charlie207]

Decided to fire up the kid's never-used 3D printer, and make a front timing cover alignment tool, instead of paying $30+ for an aluminum version. I was thinking about just using the new harmonic balancer to center the cover, but this seemed like a fun little project.

It needed about 10 minutes of sanding to get the ID smoothed out (the kid's printer probably has the opposite of a high-resolution nozzle, so a couple thousand & rough) so it would slide down the crankshaft with a little lube, and not feel like it was going to break apart.

Just waiting on the additional oil pickup tube clamp, then I can seal up the bottom-end.

 

[Charlie207]

Emailed BlackBear Performance, and in their reply they let me know that the 5.3 injectors and torque converter would be sufficient for my plans.

Reusing the injectors will save me a few hundred bucks that I can put towards a new (stock) converter. He said the extra torque of the 6.0 should slightly raise the stall speed. I'm now looking at the 6L90 converter to slap in when I get the engine split from the gearbox.

Precision of New Hampton: (https://gopnh.com/) said they won't sell to an individual via an online order, so I'll have to call, which seems weird in 2024.

 

[donjetman]

Precision of New Hampton: (https://gopnh.com/) said they won't sell to an individual via an online order, so I'll have to call, which seems weird in 2024.

I bought mine thru a local drag racer friend that owns a local company and is a Precision dealer. Had to give them my ole TC or get charged for a core.

 

[Charlie207]

I bought mine thru a local drag racer friend that owns a local company and is a Precision dealer. Had to give them my ole TC or get charged for a core.

Ok, so I'd need to find a dealer or shop to order it through. Seems like a middleman fee.

 

[j91z28d1]

Ok, so I'd need to find a dealer or shop to order it through. Seems like a middleman fee.

15% market up on everything unless you're good friends blah.

if you have the part number you want you might get summit racing to drop ship it for you.

 

[donjetman]

Ok, so I'd need to find a dealer or shop to order it through. Seems like a middleman fee.

This is what I put in mine 5+ yrs and 67k miles ago. I don't tow or hot rod with it.
https://gopnh.com/Search-Results?Partnumber=4646

 

[Charlie207]

Ordered some more parts:

 

[Charlie207]

Finally started thinking about the top of the engine, and discovered this gem on Sunday... there's a hole in the top of the intake manifold that was covered up with a piece of tape. Not sure how I didn't notice it before, but in my defense I pulled off the manifold and put it in a box with the hardware when I first got the engine in my basement, and haven't thought about it since.

You can see the tape covering the hole in this photo from the middle of March.

Up close:

I spent a while reading up on how others have dealt with this issue (holes and/or cracks), and the material is glass-fiber reinforced nylon (PA6-GF30). There's some plastic epoxy that you can schmoo together and build a plug to seal it up. Or, you can buy a nylon spatula, and cut out a patch to either epoxy or melt (with a sufficiently hot soldering iron) into place. The manifold is currently soaking in a big container with lots of degreaser.

 

[donjetman]

Those lifters sound too good to be true.
GM Bowtie lifters # 88958689 are $538.

 

[Charlie207]

Those lifters sound too good to be true.
GM Bowtie lifters # 88958689 are $538.

Well, we'll see. Here's the website:

LS7 Lifters GM Performance 12499225 / 25341990 - SMC Performance and Auto Parts

LS7 Lifters GM Performance 12499225 / 25341990 - Available at SMC Performance and Auto Parts

www.smcautoparts.com

To their credit, the package was shipped in less than 24 hours, and UPS has their hands on it now.

 

[Charlie207]

Those lifters sound too good to be true.
GM Bowtie lifters # 88958689 are $538.

I just realized that's a totally different part#/part.

Racing vs. OEM lifters, not that it diminishes your point. I've been stalking that website/company for a while, and it seems like folks in the Corvette forums have had good luck with them.

It wouldn't surprise me if these are just "blems" (hence the "no factory packaging"). I interned at Ruger for a summer back in college, and there's an internal-only list of blem guns that comes out every month or so, that can't pass final-assenbly QC for visual reasons, so employees can buy them for huge discounts, like 50%+ off depending on the model. If I wasn't a poor college kid at the time I would have bought them all.

 

[Charlie207]

Unboxed some new parts to consolidate the cardboard.

Added a lift plate for the future.

Installed new lifters & trays.

All I had time for tonight.

 

[Charlie207]

Found a once-used 4,000lb. engine hoist w/extra engine stand for $200 delivered to my door.

Sounds like it sat for a while, but after leaving an 80lb floor jack hanging all evening it only came down a couple degrees, so I'll be at least a little confident I won't fúçk something up.